TYLA Officers
   

Rebekah Steely Brooker, President
   

Dustin M. Howell, Chair
   

Sam Houston, Vice President
   

Baili B. Rhodes, Secretary
   

John W. Shaw, Treasurer
   

C. Barrett Thomas, President-elect
   

Priscilla D. Camacho, Chair-elect
   

Kristy Blanchard, Immediate Past President

TYLA Directors
   

Amanda A. Abraham, District 1
   

Sharesa Y. Alexander, Minority At-Large Director
   

Raymond J. Baeza, District 14
    Aaron J. Burke, District 5, Place 1
   

Aaron T. Capps, District 5, Place 2
   

D. Lance Currie, District 5, Place 3
   

Laura W. Docker, District 10, Place 1
    Andrew Dornburg, District 21
    John W. Ellis, District 8, Place 2
    Zeke Fortenberry, District 4
   

Bill Gardner, District 5, Place 4
   

Morgan L. Gaskin, District 6, Place 5
    Nick Guinn, District 18, Place 1
   

Adam C. Harden, District 6, Place 6
   

Amber L. James, District 17
   

Curtis W. Lucas, District 9
    Rudolph K. Metayer, District 8, Palce 1
   

Laura Pratt, District 3
    Sally Pretorius, District 8, Place 2
   

Baili B. Rhodes, District 2
   

Alex B. Roberts, District 6, Place 3
    Eduardo Romero, District 19
    Michelle P. Scheffler, District 6, Place 2
   

John W. Shaw, District 10, Place 2
    Nicole Soussan, District 6, Place 4
    L. Brook Stuntebeck, District 11
   

C. Barrett Thomas, District 15
    Judge Amanda N. Torres, Minority At-Large Director
   

Shannon Steel White, District 12
    Brandy Wingate Voss, District 13
    Veronica S. Wolfe, District 18, Place 2
   

Baylor Wortham, District 7
    Alex Yarbrough, District 16

   

Justice Paul W. Green, Supreme Court Liaison
   

Jenny Smith, Access To Justice Liaison
   

Brandon Crisp, ABA YLD District 25 Representative
   

Travis Patterson, ABA/YLD District 26 Representative
   

Assistant Dean Jill Nikirk, Law School Liaison
   

Belashia Wallace, Law Student Liaison

 

 
TYLA Office

Tracy Brown, Director of Administration
Bree Trevino, Project Coordinator
Michelle Palacios, Office Manager
General Questions: tyla@texasbar.com

Mailing Address

P.O. Box 12487, Capitol Station
Austin, Texas 78711-2487
(800) 204-2222 ext. 1529
FAX: (512) 427-4117

Street Address

1414 Colorado, 4th Floor
Austin, Texas 78701
(512) 427-1529

 

Views and opinions expressed in eNews are those of their authors and not necessarily those of the Texas Young Lawyers Association or the State Bar of Texas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Texas Access To Justice Commission Update

Texas Access To Justice Commission Update

TYLA Affiliate Leaders Focus on Ensuring Access to Lawyers
By Hannah Silk Kapasi, Staff Attorney, Texas Access to Justice Commission

Vexing problems require creative solutions. These tough economic times mean that more people who need legal help can’t afford it. At the same time, legal nonprofits are facing significant cuts and can’t provide the level of services they could even a few years ago. In other words, more people need free or reduced-fee lawyers, yet there are fewer lawyers providing these services.

Newly elected TYLA affiliate leaders from around the state who are interested in giving back to their communities attended workshops last month focused on increasing access to lawyers for poor Texans. These workshops were a part of the larger Local Bar Leaders Conference held in Houston in July.

The attendees received a broad overview of the legal needs of low-income individuals and then spent the remainder of their time focusing on the various ways local leaders could help address the problem.

The problem of access to justice can seem so large that it may be difficult to figure out how to make a dent. But there are so many things that you can do, including:
• Taking a pro bono case through an approved legal-services provider;
• Mentoring someone on a pro bono case;
• Adding limited-scope representation as an option for your paying clients;
• Making your Access to Justice contribution;
• Hosting a fundraiser to support your local legal-aid office; and
• Encouraging your bar association to set up a modest-means or a limited-scope representation
   panel.

The list could go on and on. The point is this: Every bit counts. Every time you do something you are helping someone. And that is powerful stuff.

To learn more about getting involved in your area, call Hannah Silk Kapasi, staff attorney at the Texas Access to Justice Commission. (Hannah.Kapasi@texasbar.com or (512) 427-1895.